Interlock



Marh 16, 194i D. K. HUGHES INTERLOCK I Original Filed Aug 25, 1938.

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Daniel K. Hughes By %a)valnvzztor I Hi: Attorne y Patented Mar. 16, 1943 INTERLOCK Daniel K. Hughes, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton,

Ohio,

a corporation of Maryland Original application August 25, 1938, Serial No. 226,690. Divided and this application August 20, 1941, Serial No. 407,666

4 Claims.

This invention relates to cash registers and in particular to a novel interlocking means for preventing more than one totalizer from being reset in a single operation.

This application is a division of the application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 226,690, which was filed by Daniel K. Hughes on August 25, 1938, and which issued on October 6, 1942 as Patent No. 2,297,961.

In cash registers which have more than one totalizer, it is often desired to prevent resetting operations from being performed on totalizers other than one which is selected to have a total printed therefrom. The instant invention provides a simple construction which will be cheap to make and which will provide the desired interlocking function in a positive manner.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to provide a novel interlocking mechanism to prevent more than one totalizer from being reset to zero in a single operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple interlocking means for preventing more than one of two totalizer-resetting mechanisms from being operated in a single operation, which interlock has only a few parts and is positive in its action and cheap to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide an interlocking means which is operated when a total is printed from a selected totalizer and which prevents any totalizer other than the selected totalizer from being reset.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the totahzer resetting mechanism, as viewed from the right, showing the interlock mechanism for preventing more than one totalizer from being reset at one time. Fig. 2 shows the mechanism of Fig. 1 as viewed from the front of the machine.

c Fig. 3 is a side elevation as viewed from the right, showing certain details of the resetting mechanism and the interlock preventing a totalprinting operation during a resetting operation. Fig. 4 shows a totalizer type wheel and its reset pawl in relation to the reset shaft.

General description The machine is provided with three sets of printing wheels, one of said sets being detail printing wheels which are set to the amount of entries, and the other two sets of printing wheels forming totalizers which may accumulate totals of entries andfrom which totals may be printed. The detail printing wheels are returned to Zero by their actuators in each operation, but the wheels of the totalizers must be reset to zero by special mechanism. This resetting mechanism comprises a notched shaft for each totalizer which can be shifted longitudinally to place the notches in the path of the pawls on the wheels and can be rotated to engage the pawls on the wheels of the totalizer to return the wheels to zero.

A shifting means is provided for shifting each of said shafts longitudinally to engage a means for imparting a resetting rotation to the shafts. A member is operated when a total is printed from each totalizer and can selectively operate one or the other of the shifting means to enable the totalizer from which the total was printed to be reset.

The instant invention resides in an interlock between the two means for shifting the shafts longitudinally, which interlock is simple and can be produced cheaply and which prevents more than one of the printing totalizers from being reset in a single operation of the means for imparting rotation to the shafts.

Detailed description Frame for supporting the detail printer and the totalieers Mounted on a cross member 5! and a shaft 1'! (Fig. 1) are a right printing wheel support frame Detail printer The detail printer includes a plurality of type wheels D (Fig. 1), which are settable according to entered amounts and which are rotatably carried by shaft 83. On the left side of the right frame plate I8 is fastened an offset plate 82 (Fig. 1), which supports the right end of the detail printing wheel shaft 83. The plate 82 is ofiset from the frame plate I8 to allow clearance for reset lever I93. The left end of the detail printing wheel shaft 83 is supported in the left frame plate.

Totatizers Two totalizers are provided in the instant machine. Each totalizer includes a plurality of type wheels which can operate to selectively accumulate amounts and from which totals may be printed. The wheels of the I totalizer are rotatably supported on a reset shaft 85 (Fig. 1), and those of the II totalizer are supported on a reset shaft 86. The totalizer-supporting reset shafts 85 and 88 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) are supported in frames 499 and 49I (Fig. 1), each of said frames being pivotally mounted between the printing wheel support plates before mentioned. As viewed in Fig. 1, a clockwise rocking of the frames 499 and AM around centers 398 and 399 will engage their respective totalizers with differentially driven segments to enter amounts therein. The shafts 85 and 85 are rotatable in their supporting frames and are also longitudinally shiftable therein to enable the totalizers to be reset, as will be explained later herein.

Printing mechanism The mechanisrn for taking impressions from the various sets of type wheels is contained in a printer frame which is rockably mounted on the cross member 5I (Figs. 1 and 3). The printer frame comprises a right frame I99 (Figs. 2 and 3) and a left frame (not shown) spaced apart and carrying therebetween a platen, record material, and an inking ribbon, all of which are not shown herein but are fully disclosed in Patent No. 2,297,961 referred to above.

The platen carried by the printer frame is normally over the detail printer wheels on shaft 83 so as to be in proper position on each machine operation to print the amount of the transaction.

On total-taking operations, the platen and the record material must be moved so as to be over the I or the II totalizer, so that an impression may be made therefrom. This selective positioning of the platen and the record material is accomplished by rocking the printer frame forward around cross member 5| until the platen is over the selected totalizer.

When the printer frame is rocked to print a total from either the I or the II totalizer, it causes a stud I19 (Fig. 1) to move with it. If the total is to be printed from the I totalizer, the stud H9 will enter a slot I89 in the right printing wheel supporting plate I8, and if the total is to be printed from the II totalizer, the stud I!!! will enter a slot I99 in the plate I8. The stud I19 moving in the various slots is utilized to render the resetting mechanism operative to reset the totalizer from which the total has been printed.

Totalizer resetting mechanism Pivotally mounted on cross member 5I (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is a segment-shaped resetting lever I93 having an operating finger piece I91 and also having a toothed arcuate edge for engaging pinions I94 and IE5 (Figs. 1 and 2') secured on the right ends of totalizer reset shafts and 88 respectively. Shafts 85 and 89 are shiftable laterally so as to allow pistons I94 and I to be engaged with and disengaged from the resetting lever.

Pinion I95 (Fig. 3) has a large tooth 81, which prevents its engagement with the resetting lever I93 unless the resetting lever is in home position, as in that position a tooth is broken out of the toothed arcuate edge to accommodate tooth 81. As the full stroke of the resetting lever I93 turns shaft 86 but one rotation, the large tooth 81 does not interfere with the action of said lever.

Fastened to the left side of the reset lever, on that part of the arcuate edge engaging the pinion I94, is a plate 88 so positioned that the pinion I94 may engage the lever teeth if the lever is in home position, but may not be engaged therewith or disengaged therefrom if the lever is out of home position.

Totalizer shaft 85 (Fig. 4) has a notch I98 associated with ach wheel mounted thereon, each notch being adapted to be engaged by a pawl 299 carried by its associated wheel when the shaft is shifted to the right and the pinion I94 secured thereto is in engagement with the reset lever I93. As the reset lever is pulled down, the shaft 85 is rotated, and notches I96 cooperatin with pawls 299 carry the displaced wheels to zero position. As the shaft 95 is shifted to the left to disengage pinion I94 from the reset lever, the pawls 299 are disengaged from the notches, and the totalizer wheels may be set by the differential without interference, as the pawls 299 ride the periphery of the shaft. The totalizer on shaft 96 (Fig. 3) is reset in the same manner. The totalizer-resetting mechanism is old in the art, and reference is made to United States Patent No. 1,874,277, issued to Fuller, if further description is desired.

The totalizers mounted on shafts 85 and 86 are reset by the same segment, but only one may be reset, at a time, and before one may be reset an impression must be taken therefrom in order that the resetting mechanism will be rendered operative for that one.

Totalizer selection for resetting As before stated, as a total-printing operation is performed, the stud I19 (Fig. 1) enters either cam slot I89 or cam slot I89, depending on whether the printing is to be from the I totalizer or the II totalizer.

Pivotally mounted on cross member 5I (Figs. 1 and 2), between the right printing wheel frame plate I8 (Fig. 2) and the right printer frame plate I99, are a cam plate 2295 (Figs. 1 and 2) associated with the I totalizer reset shaft 85 and a cam plate 296 associated with the II totalizer reset shaft 88. Totalizer reset shafts 85 and 85 have secured on their right ends collars 291 and 298 (Fig. 2), each having a peripheral groove to accommodate the forward end of its associated cam. As seen in Fig. 1, the pivotal movement of each of the plates 295 and 296 is limited. the up ward-movement of eachplate being limited by a forward extending toe encountering 'theperiphshown in Fig. 1, each plate is held in the ex- I treme 'upward position.

If the high portion "of the cam 209 is positioned elsewhere, the scam plates may move downwardly untilthey strike the low part of cam 209. In their uppermost position, cam plates 205 and 200 hold the shafts 05 and 80 'tothe extreme left, as shown in Fig. 2, so that pinions I94 and I95 are not engaged with the reset lever I93. This is the locked position, during which neither totalizer may be reset. If either cam plate 205 or 206 is moved downwardly, the associated totalizer reset shaft 85 or 06 will be shifted to the right, and the pinion will be positioned to be operated by moving the lever handle I91 downwardly.

Means has been provided, if the high part of cam 209 is in ineifective position, to make certain that only one of the cams 205 and 206 will be in reset position at a given instant. This consists of a coupling lever 2| (Fig. 1) mounted pivotally on a stud H I extending from the right printing wheel frame plate 18. Studs 2I2 and 2I3, projecting from either end of lever 2I0,

engage hooked portions of cam plates 205 and 200, so that, if cam plate 205 is rocked down, lever 2I0 i rocked counter-clockwise, forcing stud 2I3 against cam plate 200, forcing it to its upper position. In this position of cams 205 and 206, actuation of resetting lever I93 will reset the I totalizer. Conversely, if cam plate 206 is rocked down, lever 2| 0 is rocked clockwise, forcing stud 2I2 against cam plate 205, forcing it to its upper position, whereupon actuation of resetting lever I03 will reset the II totalizer but not the I totalizer.

As explained earlier, the stud I19 (Fig. 1) enters slot I80 when an impression is taken from the I totalizer, and strikes the upper extending arm 2I4 of cam plate 205, rocking plate 205 downwardly so that the I totalizer shaft is shifted longitudinally to a position to be reset upon operation of lever I93, and the II totalizer shaft is held in position where it cannot be reset. The converse is true when an impression is taken from the II totalizer. Cam plate 206 will be rocked downwardly as stud I19 traveling in cam slot I09 encounter arm 2I5, forcing the II totalizer into engagement with the reset lever and forcing the I totalizer out of engagement therewith. Plates 205 and 200 are reset and locked in home position, shown in Fig. 1, by the high portion of cam 209 when shaft I1 is positioned as shown in Fig. 1 by a control lever.

Also on shaft I1 is a further control of the resetting means, comprising a locking cam 222 which prevents the reset lever I93 from being moved unless the recess 223 is opposite the toe 224 on a forward extension 234 thereof.

Means are also provided to prevent the printing frame from being rocked during a resetting operation. Resting by means of claws on cross member (Fig. 3) is a locking plate 2| 0 supported and kept from angular movement around center 5| by a stud 2|! (Figs. 1 and 3) extending from the right printing wheel frame plate 18 and engaging an elongated slot 2I8 in said plate 2I6. A slot 2I9 in plate 2; accommodates a stud 202 extending from resetting lever I93, said slot being so shaped that the slightest movement of reset lever I93 from normal position forces lock- Operation The novel interlock, comprising only *a lever and two studs, is cheap tom anu'fac'tureis positive inoperation, and requires nospecial attention of the operator of the machine. 'When 'an amount is printed from one of the totalizers, automatically that totalizer is selected for resetting, and simultaneously the other totalizer i prevented from being operated by the resetting mechanism without any further operation by the person operating the machine.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment shown, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a total-printing mechanism for a machine of the class described, having two shafts each mounted so as to be shiftable and rotatable from a normal position; a totalizer mounted on each shaft, each totalizer being resettable to zero by a rotation of its shaft when shifted from normal position; and a resetting member for rotating the shafts, the combination of a shaftshifting means for each shaft to engage the selected shaft with the resetting member; and means consisting of a loose coupling member interposed between the shifting means for positively preventing more than one of the shafts from being shifted to resetting position during one operation of the resetting member.

2. In a total-printing mechanism for a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of totalizers; a means for resetting the totalizers to zero; a separate means for engaging each of the totalizers with the resetting means and dis-engaging it therefrom; and means loosely coupled between the engaging means for preventing more than one totalizer from being engaged with the resetting means at a given instant but permitting both totalizers to be out of engagement with the resetting means at a given instant.

'3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of shafts, each mounted so as to be longitudinally shiftable and rotatable; a plurality of totalizers from which amounts may be printed, one of said totalizers being mounted on each of said shafts and being resettable to zero when its shaft is rotated after having been shifted longitudinally from normal position; shaft-shifting means for each of said shafts; a member moved into engagement with the shaft-shifting means of a totalizer, when an amount is printed from that totalizer, to operate the shaft-shifting means from normal position to shift the shaft for a resetting pe ation; means cooperating with the shaft-shifting means to restore any other shaft-shifting means to normal position when one of the shifting means is operated by the member; and means to rotate the shifted shaft to reset the totalizer thereon to zero.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of shafts, each mounted so as to be longitudinally shiftable and rotatable; a plurality of totalizers from which amounts may be printed, one of said totalizers being mounted on each of said shafts and being resettable to zero when its shaft is rotated after having been shifted longitudinally from normal position; a lever for rotating said shafts to reset the totalizers; a plurality of individually operable cams, one being associated with each of said shafts and operated from a normal position for shifting its related shaft longitudinally to couple it with the lever; a member selectively moved to engage the cam related to a totalizer when an amount is printed from that totalizer and to operate the cam from its normal position to connect the shaft for that totalizer to the lever; and means interconnecting the cams so that upon operation of a cam from normal position any other cam in operated position will be restored to normal position to thereby alow only the shaft of the totalizer from which the amount is printed to be coupled to the lever to be reset to zero.

DANIEL K. HUGHES. 

